Continuing with our series, profiling Magistrates in Malawi who have availed of our trainings, today we're introducing Felix Phaiya, a first-grade Magistrate based at Salima court with criminal and civil jurisdictions in district courts.

By Robert Gleeson

Malawi’s police Independent Complaints Commission (ICC), finally established last September, could be more successful in its operation if organised with the local context in mind.

In the latest in our series profiling Irish and Northern Irish Lawyers who have worked abroad, we spoke with Professor Raphael Heffron, who is originally from Cobh in County Cork and works in the energy and climate sector. He is one of the foremost scholars in the world on energy justice, which is about the application of human rights across the energy life-cycle, i.e. applying the rule of law in the energy sector. He has published over 140 publications of different types and is the most cited scholar in energy law worldwide (1340+Scopus). Professor Heffron has also received an EU Jean Monnet Professorship and is the youngest ever to receive it twice (in 2016 and 2019); it is one of the highest awards for non-science academics in the EU. He is also elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland in 2018.

By David Siess

To address this challenge, together with our partners, and to advocate for improved conditions for children's rights, we have analysed the approaches taken by countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and Malawi to identify lessons that can be applied in Tanzania.

Our Child Diversion programme in Malawi centers on diverting children, who come into conflict with the law, away from the formal criminal justice system. 29 children, aged between 10 and 17, were placed on our programme this past year and we are delighted to start profiling some of those who have taken part. Here’s one great testimony from 17-year-old Siphiwe (we’ve used a pseudonym to protect her identity).

Update 2025: The conviction referenced in the article, below, has been overturned by the Court of Appeal, which found that serious interpretation errors during the trial compromised the fairness of the proceedings. The underlying trial verdict therefore no longer stands.

Irish Rule of Law International continues to monitor developments in prosecutions of female genital mutilation (FGM) and remains committed to supporting robust legal frameworks, fair processes, and justice for survivors.

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By Aoife Lawlor

*Content warning: violence against women, child cruelty, and genital mutilation*

IRLI's Tanzania programme is aimed at providing access to justice to victims of child sexual abuse (CSA)–building on Ireland's experience of investigating and prosecuting such matters. While Ireland has general expertise in CSA matters, this is not the case for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a practice which is more common in Tanzania. IRLI is monitoring the most recent developments in this Irish case of FGM. 

As part of our programme in Malawi, we organise trainings for magistrates, which includes sentencing guidelines. Over the coming months, we will be profiling some of the magistrates that have taken part in our trainings. First up, Cecilia Lettiena Onsewa.

We’re holding an online event in May, with Conor Linehan of William Fry, Catherine Donnelly SC of the Bar Council of Ireland & Raphael J. Heffron of Dundee University.

In the latest in our series profiling Irish and Northern Irish Lawyers who have worked abroad, we spoke with Fergal Gaynor, who has worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), represented victims before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and investigated crimes in Syria and Myanmar. He is currently working as the Reserve Chief Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts in Cambodia, commonly known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, and has recently been appointed as a Judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. Fergal is Irish, born in Malawi.

By Jessica O'Neill

We're kicking off a series, profiling Irish and Northern Irish lawyers who have worked abroad or are working abroad. First up: Irish Solicitor, Patricia Gannon from Boyle, Co. Roscommon, who originally worked as a practitioner and eventually as founder/partner in the largest law firm in the Balkans. She is now an entrepreneur and social connector, running Gannon Advisory – an holistic strategic advisory business.

By Lindiwe Sibande

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an immense shock to societies and economies globally. In more recent months, as a second more severe wave has affected more low-income countries, pre-existing strains on resources and gaps in institutional capacity have further been exacerbated. This article discusses the impact that COVID-19 has had on children in Malawi and further illustrates the additional impact faced by children in conflict with the law.